Learn from my mistakes......

[Old Irish]

....and maybe lend a sympathetic ear?

It wasn't a good day for me. I had to terminate a guy today and I'm not happy about it.

We're all pros here, and, after all, business is business. But ....well....some terminations are just harder than others.

I terminated a tech because of excessive absenteeism. Here's a guy with tons of talent, a team player, and more integrity than any 3 average techs put together. My personal respect for him, as a tech and as a person, couldn't possibly be any higher. Sadly, he has health and personal problems that are ruining his life.

Foolishly, I have covered for him, and made excuses for him, for waaaaay too long. I know better than to do that but I guess I just human enough to occasionally weaken. This made things more difficult in the long run and cost me some respect....personal respect and the respect of others. Poor judgement always comes with a price.... and I've paid it.

On the other hand he had been given ample warning that my sympathy and understanding was not a forever thing. Twice I offered a leave-of-absence. I bent over backwards.

Still, I consider this a personal failure on many levels.

Well, guys, there you have it. I blew it.

We spend a lot of time on these forums discussing the technical aspects of our jobs....but seldom "bare our souls", so to speak.

I'd be really grateful if I could hear a couple "been there, done that" replies to let me know I'm not entirely alone. This 12-year-old Scotch isn't doing it for me right now.

DD

[fburrows]

Old Irish:

I understand your emotions. Being a manager is a lot of fun sometimes and a bitch other times. I guess the thing that helped me keep my sanity was the realization that I was being paid to do a job. That job was running profitable and successful departments. If I let a situation like this continue I was not doing my job.

In order to be successful in business, I believe that you have to have empathy for the people that work for you. But you also have to realize that everyone knows that this person is a problem and they are all looking at you to fix it. To let the situation continue would be wrong.

Ultimately your employees have to be responsible for their actions. This person caused you to take the action. They are ultimately responsible for the results of their behavior. You can only be responsible for your own actions and you did the right thing.


------------------
Frank Burrows
fburrows@absdata.com

[69mach1]

Old irish,
One of the biggest problems with having employee's is we see them more than our family how can you help not to have a bond with them, the hard part is seperating that friendship with business a true friend would understand and respect you for what you have done that is called Trust any thing other than that its using you. I was in the same boat not so long ago I let go a employee who I consider a true friend I was crushed, and like yourself i have bent over backwards and covered his mistake's I moped around about two weeks until the guy showed up on my door step one night and asked why i did not do it six months ago. As my wife reminded fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.
It's no different than being a parent we have to make decisions that the outcome does not favor the other party that is what makes us what we are PROUD.
also captain morgan goes down smother than scotch

[This message has been edited by 69mach1 (edited 03-10-2007).]

[Old Irish]

Thanks, guys, for the support. It helps.

Although I have not heard from him personally, a member of his family took it upon himself to call me at home last night and said that, as far as they were concerned, firing him was perfectly understandable and that I shouldn't torture myself over it.

Well, its a new day. As my mother would have said...."Time to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and carry on".

Thanks again
DD

[robc]

Having gone through similar things recently I don't know if there is anything that can dull the pain of the day. To get through it I just kept telling myself I did all I could and, thankfully, these days don't happen that often.

My worst was years ago the dealership I was SM for was going under and I had to lay-off one of friends who was a tech - you know the kind of tech you bring with you when you move on. The only thing that got me through that was he was cool and basically told me, "Rob, it's ok - I am a tech - I'll have another job tomorrow."

The other thing I keep in my mind if something Jim Muntz here at DealersEdge taught me - sometimes you are not doing a person any favors by keeping them employed. Sometimes it hurts but it is better for everyone just to put a period on it and move on.

I know that doesn't make it any less tough on your soul though.

== Rob ==

[texaslp]

It's never any fun to fire someone. Even those who are complete jerks and totally deserve it, it's still hard to do. It sounds like you did all you could to avoid firing, which may have lost you some respect with others, but I'd rather see that than someone who is took quick to fire(and your other ee's should be glad that you aren't too quick to fire, they may need your forbearance some day).

Now having said all that, since you mentioned that he has health problems, I'm a little bit concerned that he may have been due some protection under the Family and Medical Leave Act. You may want to check with your HR person.

[GMFXDOPSMGR]

Old Irish,
We do sometimes think we are helping one of our long term employees, thinking that he will come around soon. I know that by the time that I realized I too had waited too long to pull the trigger, I was in trouble also. I didn't like myself more than the person I had fired. Glad to hear that you have some "human" in you.
I have been reading your comments for a long time and see we are a lot alike.

The bad thing about this kind of termination is now you have to find a replacement, and, how will you handle the next situation similar or not.

Good Luck!

Tom Edwards

[Old Irish]

Thanks again guys for the comments and support.

I don't know about the rest of you, but over the years I have found that *business* problems are usually pretty easy to solve. Its the *people* problems that wear you down.

In the end we make the best judgement calls that we can make. Sometimes everything turns out great, other times we have to take some lumps.

Hindsight is always 20-20, so I'll add this episode to my list of hard learned lessons. My only consolation is, whateve mistakes I made, I was trying to be a decent guy. There's gotta be a payback for that somewhere down the road....at least I hope so.

Well, enough self-pity. I'm moving on....

Cheers and thanks
DD

[texaslp]

I think we all dream of that perfect job where you don't have to deal with people.

Haven't found it yet so we're still here.

[ScottM]

Quote "I don't know about the rest of you, but over the years I have found that *business* problems are usually pretty easy to solve. Its the *people* problems that wear you down."

Amen brother! There is a reason I called managing Fixed ops Adult Day Care.

I can relate to being bitten in the hind end for having gone to far to help an employee. I agree there is a price.

At the end of the day I tried to be able to say that my dealer, fellow managers, employees and my family repected me for how I chose to do my job.

Easier said than done.